Copenhagen Mayor and 30 city leaders and experts team up to explore next generation urban leadership

Copenhagen Mayor Morten Kabell and representatives from Helsinki, Malmö, Delft, Eindhoven, Aarhus, Vejle, Climate-KIC, Gehl Architects, Ramboll and Leaderlab team up at Carlsberg Academy on 3 November to explore the next generation of Urban Leadership

Cities are the epicentre of future growth and people’s lives and are key to catalysing more liveable and sustainable conditions for future living. Liveable cities are vital to global wellbeing.
Cities are where people want to live, invest and work. By 2050 people living in cities will increase by 2.5-3 billion.

“We need to empower cities and develop next generation urban leadership practices and partnerships that will drive sustainable change,” said Susanne Pedersen, Nordic Director, Climate-KIC.

Cities are driving the economy, but are facing huge challenges like population growth, shifting demographics, obesity, air-pollution, resource scarcity and changing climate. Obesity
alone costs $ 2.0 trillion globally in treatment. With 65% of people with diabetes living in cities this calls for collective impact partnerships.

On 3 November 30 leading nordic cities representatives and experts will get together to identify how stakeholder engagement, cross-sector innovation and partnerships can drive more a more
sustainable and liveable Copenhagen.

Behind the initiative are The City of Copenhagen, Climate-KIC, Gehl Architects, Leaderlab and Ramboll, a group of organisations concerned with the challenge of how cities, civil
society and private companies can accelerate more liveable cities around the world through collaboration, co-creation and collective impact partnerships.

Long track record

The City of Copenhagen has a long track record for being both a liveable city with a focus on the quality of everyday life and on having ambitious goals for emission reduction and climate adaptation. But even Copenhagen is faced with challenges, where ready made solutions are neither possible nor available.

“Copenhagen is known by many for our integrated planning and efforts to combat climate change. But going forward we need to find new ways to engage city stakeholders in cross-sector
innovation and partnerships that will drive an even more liveable, diverse and responsible city,” Brian Hansen, Head of Department City Strategies, City of Copenhagen.

“Creating Liveable Cities is at the top of the agenda for Mayors in both developed and developing cities around the world. But we see a need to innovate the processes for urban leadership
and find new methods of putting the wellbeing of people at the centre of planning,” says Helle Søholt, CEO, Gehl Architects.

CO2 emissions

Cities are responsible for 70-75% of global CO2-emissions and air-pollution each year kills 7 million people. But climate change and air-pollution are not solved through silo initiatives –
they are solved through urban leadership, integrated city-planning and cross-sector innovation.

“Liveability is critical to attract and maintain global talents and drive sustainable growth. Liveability is key to building the political case for more healthy and sustainable cities. By working
with liveability from an holistic approach, cities can develop new solutions that create multiple benefits rather than just one,” Henrik Seiding, Senior Director, Ramboll.

“Cities hold the key to future growth, wellbeing and sustainable lifestyles. The next generation Urban Leadership will be all about how cities can mobilise stakeholders across sectors to
partner in solving the complex challenge of balancing sustainability, liveability and a strong economy,“ says Sofus Midtgaard, Founder & Managing Partner, Leaderlab.

Media contacts

If you  interested in engaging, in driving, or supporting this agenda, please contact:

Susanne Pedersen, Nordic Director, Climate-KIC:
susanne@climate-kic-nordic.org or +45 21532235

Sofus Midtgaard, Managing Partner, Leaderlab:
sofus@leaderlab.com or +45 30220111

Helle Søholt, CEO Gehl Architects:
helle@gehlarchitects.dk or +45 26726101

Brian Hansen, Head of department for City strategies, City of Copenhagen:
brihan@tmf.kk.dk or +45 26378736

Henrik Seiding, Senior Director, Rambøll:
hers@ramboll.com or +45 51618255

 

 
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Urban Transitions
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